BLUEFIELD, W.Va. - - UVA Wise (14-28) and host Bluefield State (14-23) split a non-conference NCAA Division II baseball doubleheader at Bowen Field Wednesday. The visiting Cavaliers scored a 13-11 slugfest victory in the opener before the Big Blues claimed game two by a score of 4-2.

GAME ONE

BLUES STRIKE FIRST

Bluefield State scored the first five runs of the game over the opening two innings. Garret Hladilek and Ty Sizemore each doubled in a run in the opening inning to stake the hosts to a two-run lead. An inning later, the Blues received RBI hits from Hladilek and JR McRee before an RBI groundout from Cole Cote plated the fifth run.

TEN IN THE THIRD

UVA Wise would score ten runs in the third inning, all coming with two outs. Justin Reed started the scoring when his deep fly ball to centerfield was not caught, allowing Bret Roberts to scamper home. Tyler Campbell would have an RBI hit in the frame as would Hunter Meador and JoJo Kelliher. Roberts would add a two-run hit in the inning while Colby Welborn was hit with the bases loaded and a duo of errors from Bluefield State produced the other runs in the inning.

EXTENDING THE LEAD

A run-producing double from DJ Dickson scored Cole Harness in the fourth to give the Cavs an 11-5 lead.

BLUEFIELD STATE ANSWERS

A three-run fourth inning for the hosts was highlighted by a two-run double from Hladilek while Cote added an RBI single to send the game to the fifth at 11-8.

CAVS PLATE A PAIR

J. Kelliher would score on a passed ball in the fifth before Meador would be hit with the bases loaded to run the lead to 13-8 going to the home fifth.

BLUES PUT UP A FIGHT

Bluefield State manufactured a run out of a run-down in the fifth before a two-run homer from Jordan Varela-Payne made it 13-11 in the seventh. UVA Wise reliever Hunter Anderson would then come out of the bullpen and retire the final two hitters to secure the win.

BOX SCORE NOTES

The 10-run third inning is the largest scoring inning of the season for the Cavs. Roberts reached base four times in the win finishing 2-for-3 with two walks, three runs scored, and two RBI. J. Kelliher also knocked in a pair as did Meador. Roberts and Justin Reed each swiped a bag in the win.

Hladilek went 4-for-5 with four RBI and two runs scored to pace a 14-hit effort for Bluefield State.

James Balogh earned the mound win by striking out a man without allowing a run over 2/3 innings of work in relief.

GAME TWO

PITCHERS DUEL EARLY

UVA Wise hurlers Adam Conrad and Garrett Stiltner each pitched two innings of scoreless baseball. The pair allowed just one base runner while combining to strike out four without allowing a hit.

Bluefield State hurler Shawn Runey routinely worked out jams in the early going. The Cavs picked up two hits but could not score in the first before snagging a hit in the second. In the third and fourth innings, UVA Wise would strand two men in each frame.

BLUES GET ON THE BOARD

Bluefield State would break the scoreless game in the fifth on back-to-back run-scoring hits from Sebastian Ortega and CJ Cooper to make it a 2-0 affair.

CAVS TIE IT

A half-inning later, UVA Wise would tie the game on a Dickson RBI double and a run-scoring hit from Clay Taylor.

SIZEMORE WINS IT

A two-run double from Sizemore in the bottom of the sixth would produce the winning runs for the Blues, allowing the hosts to salvage the series split.

BOX SCORE NOTES

Reed and Tyler Campbell had two hits each for UVA Wise. Runey earned the mound win as he scattered seven hits over six innings, fanning four and allowing two earned runs. Matheney was credited with the save.

UP NEXT

UVA Wise returns to league play this weekend when the team begins a three-game set with Limestone starting Friday at 6 p.m. from Stallard Field.